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Topic: Another Ficus microcarpa progression (Read 3629 times)

I just finished up trimming a large Ficus microcarpa I've been working since 2007. I found this crazy stump at the legendary Jim Smith's Dura Stone Nursery.

The first styling yielded a stout, but flawed front with a pronounced pigeon breast. When I worked it a bit later, my friend John Cotoggio stopped me as the turntable swung around to the current front. It was a great call and a no-brainer for this tree. If Rob Kempinski didn't have a tree called the Kraken already, that would be this tree's name in a flash... The pot is a

Can't imagine what it would look like if I lived in Florida. Here outside New York City it looks great from about now until it goes inside around Halloween. A short "sweet-spot" for the work involved.

Great tree, Mike. I actually grabbed that progression image of yours some time ago and used it as my desktop background for inspiration for a while. I'm glad to see the latest update. Really nice work. I like the blue-ish pot much better than the previous brown ones.

Regarding Durastone, I was just there 2 weeks ago. Jim was awesome, and there is plenty of material there for the taking. Many choices of many species of ficus, some literally bursting out of their pots. Plenty of other tropical stuff too - Bougainvillea, Portulacaria, BRT's, Schefflera, etc. - all priced so well that it makes me wonder why I've spent money elsewhere over the last few years.

Hey Mike,If you're still looking for a good Fall exhibit to show off your sumo masterpiece - of just take in a nice show - take a little ride up I-87 to the Arts Center of Saratoga Springs. The MOHAWK HUDSON BONSAI SOCIETY will have their annual show there Sep 17-18th. You might want to contact them. More info here http://mohawkhudsonbonsai.org/